The new government have opened up the opportunity for schools to have greater autonomy over their curriculum and financial freedom. The recently published Academies Bill will allow schools greater freedoms but there are many requirements and challenges to be considered before a school embarks on this journey.

Cocentra and our partner Gleeds project managers have all the knowledge and skills to evaluate the benefits and risks associated with your school seeking Academies status. This knowledge and skills have been gained from many years working in the education sector as partner and adviser to many primary, secondary and special schools. We have experience of the Academies and other school capital programmes and have supported school re-organisations and re-designations such as federations and Trust schools.

We have the skills to:

• Advise on the process and requirements to convert to an Academy

• Conduct a benefit and risk evaluation

• Undertake any stakeholder consultation required

• Advise on the legal and contractual matters to become an Academy

• Advise on the HR and premises issues of transferring to a trust

• Support the services that will be required once a school separates from its local authority

• Help with the redesign of the Curriculum and indeed the whole school day

• Establish and support the new funding stream

We can provide not only the project management skills necessary to ensure you complete this exercise as quickly and effectively as possible but with our Educational and ICT advisory experience we can support you through this process and beyond.

To discuss becoming an Academy and to understand the issues you will face and the benefits you should achieve please call Steve Davies or Terry Rollings on 01926-748006 or email administrator@cocentra.com and ask for Steve or Terry to call you.